JAFFA, Israel – A Saudi novelist has suggested allowing Muslims to drink water during the fast of Ramadan, set to take place this year during the height of the summer.

Muhamad Almuhana tweeted ahead of next month’s fast: “I have an opinion and it has to be addressed. The human body is 80 percent water. Water isn’t food, it’s a tool, and therefore the sages have to allow drinking during Ramadan because water, scientifically speaking, does not change man’s chemical composition, it only wets the body.”

Using the hashtag #liberal_allows_drinking_water_on_ramadan, Almuhana was attacked left, right, and center.

He later tweeted: “I apologize for tweeting about water and fasting earlier. I would like to make clear that I wasn’t trying to issue a religious ruling, only open the issue up for debate. Clearly, the Quran and the rules set by the Prophet are our benchmark.”